Obama Hitting Seven Democratic Fundraisers on West Coast

President Barack Obama left Washington yesterday after the U.S. and other world powers announced an agreement to limit Iran’s nuclear program, and as his administration seeks to recover from the troubled rollout of his health-care law. Photographer: Jewel Samad/AFP via Getty Images

Nov. 25 (Bloomberg) -- President Barack Obama, with a full
plate of domestic and foreign policy issues before him, is on a
three-day fundraising trip that includes stops at the Seattle
home of former Microsoft executive Jon Shirley and Magic
Johnson’s Los Angeles house.

Obama left Washington yesterday after the U.S. and other
world powers announced an agreement to limit Iran’s nuclear
program, and as his administration seeks to recover from the
troubled rollout of his health-care law.

The seven fundraisers will benefit Democratic candidates in
the 2014 elections, as the party tries to maintain a majority in
the U.S. Senate and make gains in the Republican-controlled
House of Representatives. At most of the events, donors will pay
$16,200 to $32,400 to attend.

Obama also is scheduled to speak about immigration policy
today at the Betty Ong Chinese Recreation Center in San
Francisco and the following day about the economy at the
DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. facility in Glendale, California,
according to the White House.

Obama’s first fundraiser, at the North Seattle home of
youth clothing executive Thomas Campion, benefitted the
Democratic National Committee, according to an invitation.

Obama then joined House minority leader Nancy Pelosi of
California for a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
dinner hosted by Shirley, a former Microsoft Corp. president and
chief operating officer, who raised money for Obama’s re-election last year.

Congress Focus

In his public remarks, Obama made no mention of the deal
struck with Iran and the U.S. along with other world powers to
halt Iran’s nuclear progress in exchange for the easing of some
sanctions. Instead, the president focused on his battles with
the Republican-controlled House.

“The biggest barrier, impediment we have right now is a
Congress and in particular a House of Representatives that is
not focused on getting the job done for the American people but
is a lot more focused on trying to position themselves for the
next election or defeating my agenda,” Obama told donors.

After spending the night in Seattle, the president heads to
San Francisco for more DNC fundraisers. The first is an event at
the SFJazz Center and then a 20-person technology roundtable at
the home of Salesforce.com Inc. founder Marc Benioff. The SFJazz
Center event, with tickets starting at $500 per person, is the
least expensive of the trip for contributors.

Obama’s West Coast trip concludes in Los Angeles. He’ll
make stops on behalf of congressional and Senate Democrats at
former National Basketball Association start Johnson’s house in
Los Angeles and at the home of media executive Haim Saban in
Beverly Hills, according to invitations. Saban is chairman of
Spanish-language channel Univision Communications Inc. Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid also is scheduled to attend the event
at Johnson’s house.

Tomorrow, Obama will speak at the DreamWorks facility.
Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Katzenberg is a top donor. He’ll
also appear at a Los Angeles fundraiser for the DNC at the home
of television producer Marta Kauffman, according to an
invitation.